Life can change in an instant. The ripple effect is felt for years, or even generations to come.
Our area is no stranger to this experience. In 1990, the residents in the City of Hesston braced as an F5 tornado tore a path through town.
Fast-forward to 2016, and the residents of Hesston and Newton experienced the tragedy of a mass-shooting event spanning the two communities, culminating in fatalities at one of the largest employers in the Harvey County. That event is now known as the “Excel Incident.”
Within a month, the western portion of Harvey County burned in the largest wildfire in Kansas history.
For all of these events, and every individual house fire before and since, United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties has been there.
The role of United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties can vary. In some instances, support in the form of program funding to the American Red Cross disaster relief services. In the some cases, as was the case in the Excel Incident, United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties assumes an official role with Incident Command.
United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties also works collaboratively with United Way of the Plains disaster services and 2-1-1 line. For large-scale events, United Way of the Plains would take the lead in handling spontaneous volunteers and donations, as they bring the manpower and expertise specially trained to handle those events.
Disaster services is an often unknown component of United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties' work. But when our communities are impacted, we are there.